Refrigeration appliance with ducting pipe

ABSTRACT

A body of a refrigeration appliance has an outer membrane, an inner membrane which delimits a cooled storage compartment which is accessible from a front side of the body, and a foamed material layer filling an intermediate space between the outer and inner membrane. A machine compartment is recessed on the rear of the body. A ducting pipe extends from the machine compartment to the front side. The outer membrane is built in two layers on a bottom side of the carcass and the ducting pipe extends between an inner and an outer layer of the outer membrane.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German patent application DE 10 2016 216 697.2, filed Sep. 5, 2016; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance with a forced-ventilated machine compartment and a ducting pipe coming from the machine compartment. Such a refrigeration appliance is known from German utility model DE 20 2006 005 547 U1 for instance. The known refrigeration appliance is a built-in appliance in which the ducting pipe is largely formed by a component arranged separately from the carcass of the refrigeration appliance in a plinth area of a kitchen cabinet.

In order to achieve the best possible ratio of usable volume to external dimensions in the case of a refrigeration appliance, the space requirement of the components required for the cold generation must be minimized. The multiport extruded (MPE) technique allows for the construction of very compact condensers, at the same time the compact design results in an increased flow resistance so that the potential of such a compact condenser can only be used with a forced ventilation. A tight arrangement of the various components in the machine compartment of a refrigeration appliance also hampers the air circulation so that an adequate heat discharge is only possible with forced ventilation. If with convection-cooled appliances the fresh air required herefor is conventionally drawn in close to the floor and expelled upward, dust enters the appliance and hampers the heat exchange. To minimize the intake of dust, it is therefore advisable to reverse the flow direction of the cooling air and to guide it from the machine compartment below the storage compartment and discharge it into the atmosphere at the front side of the appliance.

It is apparent that such appliances can leave marks on sensitive flooring after a long service life.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to create a refrigeration appliance with a ducting pipe which runs forward from the machine compartment below the storage chamber and produces no marks on the floor.

The object is achieved with a refrigeration appliance having a carcass which contains an outer membrane, an inner membrane, which delimits a cooled storage compartment which is accessible from a front side of the carcass, and a foamed material layer which fills an intermediate space between the outer and inner membrane, and on the rear of which a machine compartment is recessed. A ducting pipe extends from the machine compartment to the front side and the outer membrane is built up in two layers on a bottom side of the carcass. The ducting pipe extends between an inner and an outer layer of the outer membrane.

As the inventors of the present invention have determined, the forced ventilation causes the cooling air throughput to be decoupled from the available waste heat, which results in the cooling air being able to reach such high air humidity values when passing through a evaporation pan in the machine compartment that part of the humidity condenses on the mostly relatively cool floor below the appliance. The humidity supports the retention of dust, which in turn delays the flow of air close to the floor and as a result also conveys the condensation.

This effect is eliminated in accordance with the invention by the ducting pipe being guided between an inner and an outer layer of the outer membrane. On the one hand, such direct contact with the floor is avoided so that no condensation develops there; at the same time the outer layer also generally has no contact with the floor, the temperature of which is higher on account of its proximity to the machine compartment. As a result the tendency of condensation and consequently also the tendency to collect dust is reduced so that a ducting pipe with a relatively small cross-section is sufficient. The gap between the floor and bottom side of the carcass can therefore be made narrower than with an appliance in which this gap is used as a ducting pipe, which in turn permits an enlargement of the usable volume.

At least a first of the layers is to extend across the entire width of the bottom side and be connected to side wall elements in order to form a closed outer membrane which permits a foaming of the intermediate space.

The first layer is preferably a sheet metal.

To simplify the assembly of the refrigeration appliance, the first layer can also form a lining of the machine compartment.

If this first layer is arranged above the second, a foaming of the intermediate space can take place after integrating the first layer in the carcass and prior to mounting the second layer.

In particular, if the first layer is made from sheet metal, due to fire safety it is preferable to arrange the first layer below that of the second layer.

To ensure also in such a case that the first layer can be mounted after the foaming, the second layer should also extend across the entire width of the bottom side and be connected to side wall elements of the outer membrane.

If the first layer is arranged below the second layer and at the same time is to form a lining of the machine compartment, then this lining should have a through opening, to the edge of which the second layer attaches.

In particular, if the first layer is a sheet metal, to simplify manufacture it is desirable for it to be flat in the transverse direction of the carcass and for the second layer between side parts resting on the first layer to have a central part which is at a distance from the first layer and delimits the ducting pipe.

If the first layer is the lower layer, then such a central part can project into the foam layer, or on both sides of the ducting pipe the foamed material layer can extend directly up to the immediate vicinity of the floor so that the available installation space is used for the thermal insulation.

Since the second layer has in most cases a more complex shape than the first, it is preferably manufactured as a molded part made from plastic.

Such a molded part can form holders for further components of the refrigeration appliance, especially for a door opening sensor for instance.

Since the ducting pipe between the first and the second layer ultimately runs within the refrigeration appliance, on the front side of the carcass it can lead into an air passage, which is formed on the front side in a lower front area strip of the outer membrane.

To reinforce the front side of the carcass, the second layer can have a reinforced front edge.

Such a reinforced front edge can be formed in particular by a profile which opens to the front side and by fastening this profile to the front side both together can form a resilient profile with a closed cross-section.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a refrigeration appliance with a ducting pipe, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, sectional view through a lower part of a refrigeration appliance according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially cut rear view of the lower part;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane III-III shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottom panel and a plastic molded part of the refrigeration appliance; and

FIG. 5 is a section view in a width direction through the lower part of a refrigeration appliance according to a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a schematic section in a depth direction through a body or carcass 1 of an inventive domestic refrigeration appliance. The body 1 conventionally contains an outer membrane 2 assembled from a number of elements and an inner membrane 3 in the form of a deep-drawn inner container made from plastic, which delimits a storage compartment 4 which opens toward the front side of the appliance and can be closed off by a door (not shown in FIG. 1). The inner membrane 2 and outer membrane 3 together form an intermediate space 5 which is filled with a thermal-insulating foamed material layer. The elements of the outer membrane 2 which are visible in the FIG. 1 are a lower front area strip 6 on the front side of the appliance, a rear wall plate 7 and a bottom plate 8, which is composed of an upper layer 8 a and a lower layer 8 b.

The lower layer 8 b is formed cut from sheet metal and is curved along a number of edges which are parallel to one another in order to create a front horizontal segment 10, which, separated from a floor 11 by a narrow gap 9, extends from the front side below the storage compartment 4, and a lining of the machine compartment 13. The lining includes a step 12 which rises from the rear edge of the horizontal segment 10, and which forms a front wall of a machine compartment 13 and a rear horizontal segment 14 which upwardly completes the machine compartment 13.

The machine compartment 13 is delimited downward by a bottom plate 15, the front edge of which rests tightly against the horizontal segment 10, and rearward by a rear wall 16, which for its part connects tightly to the bottom plate 15 and the rear wall plate 7.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the lower part of the body 1. Air inlet openings 17 are cut out on the left edge of the rear wall 16. One piece of the rear wall 16 is recessed in the view in FIG. 2, in order to be able to show built-in components of the machine compartment 13 which are disposed therebehind. These built-in components contain a condenser 18, a ventilator 19, a compressor 20 and an evaporation pan 21 mounted on the compressor 20. The machine compartment 13 has a clearance immediately behind the air inlet openings 17 (in the view in FIG. 2), in which clearance fresh air taken in by the ventilator 19 via the air inlet openings 17 is deflected, before it flows in parallel to the plane of the drawing from left to right through the condenser 18 and the ventilator 19. The condenser 18 is a compact condenser with an MPE refrigerant pipe.

A ducting pipe 22 via which the air which is heated on the condenser 18 and compressor 20 and which is saturated with humidity at the evaporation pan 21 leaves the machine compartment again is largely concealed behind the condenser 20 in the view in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows a section in the depth direction of the body 1 through a front lower corner of the machine compartment 13. The ducting pipe 22 is upwardly delimited here by a central part 27 of the upper layer 8 a, downwardly delimited by the horizontal segment 10 of the lower layer 8 b of the bottom plate 8. An opening 23 cut into the lower layer 8 b on the lower edge of the step 12 forms the input of the ducting pipe 22. To seal against the foamed material of the intermediate space 5, the upper layer 8 a has a web 24 which, adjacent to the edge projects through the opening 23 into the machine compartment 13 and a flange 25, which rests against the step 12 along the edge of the opening 23.

FIG. 4 shows the bottom plate 8 in a perspective view. The rear horizontal segment 14 of the lower layer 8 b and a large part of the step 12 are exposed. The lower edge of the step 12 and the front horizontal segment 10 are covered by the upper layer 8 a. The central part 27 with the ducting pipe 22 running there below runs obliquely across the horizontal segment 10 from the input at its left edge to an output 28 in the center of a front edge of the bottom plate 8. On both sides of the central part 27 side parts 26 of the upper layer 8 a lie directly on the horizontal segment 10. A part 29 of the upper layer 8 a which is distanced further from the lower layer 8 b extends across the entire width of the bottom plate between these side parts 26 and the step 12. Together with the lower layer 8 b it delimits a duct 30 which is provided to receive cables for a side wall heating system.

A front edge 31 of the upper layer 8 a is formed as a U-profile which opens forward and is divided into a plurality of chambers by means of vertical intermediate walls. A central chamber 32 above the exit 28 is provided to form a holder 34 for a door opening sensor (not shown). The door opening sensor may in a manner known per se be a mechanical switch with an actuation segment, which projects through an opening of the lower front area strip 6, in order to be touched and moved by the door when it is opened and closed; it is preferably a contactless, e.g. magnetoresistive sensor, which is able to record the presence of the door by means of magnetic interaction, without requiring an opening in the lower front area strip 6 for this purpose.

As is apparent in FIG. 1, the lower front area strip 6 is fastened directly to the front edges of the U profile and its intermediate walls so that the chambers are sealed by the front area strip 6. The front area strip 6 is penetrated in front of the exit 28.

The bottom plate 8 in FIG. 4 must be assembled as a unit and connected tightly to the front area strip 6 and the rear wall plate 7, before the intermediate space 5 can be foamed in order to form the thermal insulation layer, since the shoulder 12 and the rear horizontal segment 14 of the lower layer 8 b are required in order to render the outer membrane tight.

As a result of an alternative embodiment, not shown, the upper layer 8 a is extended beyond the machine compartment 13 up to the lower edge of the rear wall plate 7. In this case, it is sufficient to connect the upper layer 8 a to the lower front area strip 6 and rear wall plate 7 in order to seal the outer membrane. The ducting pipe 22 and the duct 30 remain open until after the foaming process and assembly work therein such as for instance the laying or connecting of cables for the side wall heating system running in the duct 30 can be performed after the foaming process.

It is also conceivable to embody the lower layer 8 b from sheet metal and to firstly mount one part of it, which contains the shoulder 12 and the rear horizontal segment 14, together with the outer layer 8 a, then to foam it and finally to close off the ducts 22, 30 with the front horizontal segment 10.

As a result of a simplified variant, an upper layer 8 c of the bottom plate 8 is formed from sheet metal and comprises horizontal segments and a shoulder disposed therebetween, as shown in FIG. 5, and a lower layer 8 d made of plastic. The upper layer 8 c extends across the entire width of the base, attaches to the front and rear of the front area strip and the rear wall plate and is tightly connected at its side edges to side wall plates 33 so that the intermediate space 5 can firstly be foamed here and the bottom plate 8 can then be completed by attaching the lower layer 8 d. On account of its minimal width, the lower layer 8 d is cost-effective to manufacture, since it projects downward from the flat layer 8 c, the height of the gap 9 is larger on both sides than with the first embodiment, as a result of which the first embodiment permits an improved space utilization.

The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:

-   1 Carcass -   2 Outer membrane -   3 Inner membrane -   4 Storage compartment -   5 Intermediate space -   6 Front area strip -   7 Rear wall plate -   8 Bottom plate -   8 a,c Upper layer -   8 b, d Lower layer -   9 Gap -   10 Horizontal segment -   11 Floor -   12 Step -   13 Machine compartment -   14 Horizontal segment -   15 Bottom plate -   16 Rear wall -   17 Air inlet opening -   18 Condenser -   19 Ventilator -   20 Compressor -   21 Evaporation pan -   22 Ducting pipe -   23 Opening -   24 Web -   25 Flange -   26 Side part -   27 Central part -   28 Exit -   29 Part of the upper layer -   30 Duct -   31 Front edge -   32 Chamber -   33 Side wall plate -   34 Holder 

1. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: a body, containing: a front side; a bottom side; an outer membrane; an inner membrane delimiting a cooled storage compartment being accessible from said front side of said body; a foamed material layer filling an intermediate space between said outer and inner membranes; a rear side having a recess formed therein defining a machine compartment; a ducting pipe extending from said machine compartment to said front side; and said outer membrane being built up in two layers on said bottom side of said body, said two layers including an inner layer and an outer layer, said ducting pipe extending between said inner layer and said outer layer.
 2. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein: said outer membrane has side wall elements; and at least a first of said layers extends beyond an entire width of said bottom side and is connected to said side wall elements of said outer membrane.
 3. The refrigeration appliance according claim 2, wherein said first layer is formed from sheet metal.
 4. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 2, wherein said first layer also forms a lining of said machine compartment.
 5. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 4, wherein said first layer is disposed below a second layer of said layers.
 6. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 5, wherein said lining has a through opening formed therein, to an edge of said through opening said second layer connects.
 7. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 5, wherein: said first layer in a section in a transverse direction of said body is flat; and said second layer has side parts resting against said first layer and a central part disposed between said side parts, said central part is at a distance from said first layer and delimits said ducting pipe.
 8. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 5, wherein said second layer is a molded part made from plastic.
 9. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, wherein said second layer extends across an entire width of said bottom side and is connected to said side wall elements of said outer membrane.
 10. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, wherein said second layer has a holder for a door opening sensor.
 11. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said outer membrane has a lower front area strip, which extends below said cooled storage compartment on said front side of said body and said ducting pipe leads into an air passage in said lower front area strip.
 12. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 5, wherein said second layer has a reinforced front edge.
 13. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said reinforced front edge is a profile which is open toward said front side. 